Wireless service providers face a network capacity shortfall due to a dramatic increase in both the number of mobile devices in use and their ability to generate and/or consume large amounts of data. The combination of these factors produces a demand that far outstrips the capacity expansion possible through evolution of any single network technology.
One way to address this capacity shortfall is through efficient and effective use of multiple, heterogeneous networks. In particular, the use of short range wireless technologies like WiFi offers significant capacity expansion through frequency reuse. With a typical 500 foot coverage radius, approximately 100 WiFi access points can be deployed in the same area as a single cell site with a 1 mile coverage radius, and each WiFi access point can deliver as much or more capacity than the entire cell site.
Unfortunately, short range, or “high density” network technologies present some significant problems for wireless service providers and their customers, including (but not limited to): (1) poor mobility characteristics due to the need for frequent and rapid switching; (2) poor propagation characteristics, particularly when using unlicensed and/or power-limited spectrum; and (3) maintenance headaches due to many more points of failure (2+ orders of magnitude).
Current attempts in multiple-network scenarios are driven from higher-level applications or processes above the datalink layer (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,252) or require much “command and control” interaction from a central network (or supra-network) managing station. Accordingly, responsiveness to local conditions or context, is reduced. The present invention addresses the responsiveness issues by centering the decision-making at the mobile terminal.
The present invention, a Cognitive Wireless System (CWS), addresses these and other issues to allow wireless service providers to make effective use of multiple networks.